Phenol, with a common name as carbolic acid, is a raw material widely applied in the organic chemical industry, and is mainly used to produce phenolic resin, caprolactam, bisphenol A, adipic acid, phenylamine, alkyl phenol, and salicylic acid, etc. In addition, it can also be used as a solvent or disinfectant, and is widely applied in production of synthetic fibers, synthetic rubbers, plastic materials, medicines, pesticides, spices, dyes, and paints, etc.
At present, processes for phenol production in industries and researches mainly include: sulfonation process, methyl benzene-benzoic acid process, chlorobenzene hydrolysis process, direct benzene oxidation process, sec.-butylbenzene process, and cumene process, etc.